Fur, Balloon, and Rice Krispies
Balloon, and Rice Krispies
Cloth, Rod, and Syrofoam Peanuts
Cloth, Rod, and Syrofoam Peanuts
paper punches and balloon
paper punches and balloon

 

Code Number: 5A40.21

Demo Title: Electrostatics - Particles & Charged Rods

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Electrostatics

Area of Study: Electricity & Magnetism

Equipment: 

Styrofoam peanuts, Rice Krispies, Vermiculite, Puffed Wheat, Electrostatic Rods, Charging Cloths, Balloons.

Procedure:

Charge a balloon with the cat's fur.  Wave the balloon over a pile of Rice Krispies or Puffed Wheat and watch the breakfast food jump onto the balloon. 

Vermiculite is good to use if you really want things to jump around.  Put a handful into a watch glass and wave either of the charged wands over it.  The vermiculite will first jump up to the charged wand. Once the vermiculite particles have touched the wand they will be repelled from the wand.  So basically the particles will jump onto and then off of the wand with only a few actually sticking to the wand.  

Break up some Styrofoam peanuts.  Charge the Lucite rod with the silk and wave over the peanuts.  The peanuts will jump to the Lucite rod, even when the rod is held up to 6 inches above the peanuts.

The "paper punches" work very well with a charged balloon.  They will jump to and from the balloon very vigorously.  Some bridging may also be observed.

References:

  • James Lincoln, "Ten Annoying Experiments to do at Dinnertime", TPT, Vol. 63, #2, Feb. 2025, p. 136.
  • Gorazd Planinsic, "Increasing the Electric Field by Squeezing Charges", TPT, Vol. 45, # 6, Sept. 2007, p. 393.
  • George M. Hopkins, "Frictional Electricity", Experimental Science, p. 359.
  • Charles Vivian, "A Hair-Raising Experiment", Science Experiments & Amusements For Children, p. 26.
  • Janice VanCleave, "64, Dancing Papers", Teaching the Fun of Physics, p. 100.
  • Janice VanCleave, "65, Charged Comb", Teaching the Fun of Physics, p. 101.
  • Jearl Walker, "5.18, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme", The Flying Circus of Physics Ed. 2, p. 226.
  • Joey Green, "Magnetic Balloon", The Mad Scientist Handbook, p. 61.
  • "Jumping Grains", Physics From the Junk Drawer, 3rd Edition, The Science House, North Carolina State University, p. 30.
  • Rudolf F. Graf, "Tricks with a Comb", Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments, p. 5.
  • Rudolf F. Graf, "Plaster Your Wall with Cards", Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments, p. 31.
  • Rudolf F. Graf, "Picking Up Salt Electrostatically", Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments, p. 32.
  • Rudolf F. Graf, "Cleaning Your Records Electrostatically", Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments, p. 35.